Orsin tosses and turns in his cot as the ruckus spills over into the common room where the bard is sleeping. The bard growls venomously at the noises' direction. Exasperated, he casts silence on his pillow, hoping he can fall asleep before its magic expires.
Andrea grips Grimm's forearm like he does with other warriors,(and avoid the spit-palm.) Thank you, and yes. Duncan gave me a chance when others would most likely not. I am honored to have known him.
Andrea will finish her breakfast as the others talk and then prepare to head out. Grumm, we have a number of weapons and armor from the Sisters we wish to sell. Perhaps we can talk later about it. Andrea points to the sack of nun-chucks.
"I need to visit that wizard today anyways", Truk says.
"Maybe he'd be interested in buying some of them off of us."
"We also need to get our armors decently cleaned and polished and buy some new clothing as well as making sure our sheathes are free of tar. I don't want to ruin any of my armor or weapons by leaving that gunk on them for too long."
Grimm smiles fully at the warm (by his standards) greeting he recieves.
That done he moves back over to his stew pot and finishes his breakfast by scooping his food into his mouth his his hands, ignoring the cutlery next to the bowl.
He pipes back up at the mention of magic gear. Oooooo! Wha'd ye take? Anythin' good?
[b]Some weapons that the Sisters of Eiseth wielded and a greatsword and dragonhide breastplate.
His dinner manners remind me of Acolyte Lezard, ghoul cook.
"No self respecting dwarven smithy is gonna produce sumthing like this." Pointing at the nunchuck with his finger half expecting to catch a curse. "Where's da blade?' Shaking his head in disgust. "Take that crapola to Quint's Arms and Armor, ole Quint'll find a use fer it."
"now if ye got some blades and steel I'll take it."
"Now me boy might'nt be the purdiest ti look but he's got 'imself a strong back an arm, and wit's about battle." He grins, "might've taken a hammer ti da head but dat shouldn't be an issue."
Chuckling, "He actually helped Arael out on recent trip."
"No self respecting dwarven smithy is gonna produce sumthing like this." Pointing at the nunchuck with his finger half expecting to catch a curse. "Where's da blade?' Shaking his head in disgust. "Take that crapola to Quint's Arms and Armor, ole Quint'll find a use fer it."
"now if ye got some blades and steel I'll take it."
This greatsword and breastplate should fit your needs. Andrea slides over the large blade and the dragonhide breastplate. I will see about getting these to Quint's for sale.
The question now is what do we do after resting and selling these items? There is the Wavedoor to investigate and I have no idea if it is possible to enter Delvehaven without the lost Pathfinder's knowledge.
Alphonse never responds to Faelyn's suggestion for gossip gathering.
"Well, hopefully you and your friends can stay out of trouble. Oh, tell Lucrezia there is no word on Orn, so no sale." He pauses reflectively,"She may not want to buy him if he gets back, I can imagine his spirit will be broken.'
The female's eyes light up at the word, broken.
This greatsword and breastplate should fit your needs. Andrea slides over the large blade and the dragonhide breastplate. I will see about getting these to Quint's for sale.
"I can take the lot in for you. I need to replace some of the gear that was ruined by the tar and visit that wizard."
"Beautiful, you mind showing me the way?"
Andrea hands the nunchuks over to Truk.
Truk slides the sack of weapons over one mountainous shoulder.
"We'll be back in a few hours. Figure out what our next move is by then."
Faelyn uses his poker face to show no expression to Alphonse when Orn is mentioned. He taps his chin as if thinking about the word "friends" for a minute. Friends...hmmm. He stands and smiles at the lady. So nice to make your acquaintance. I hope you and the master dwarf here enjoy your stay in Westcrown. He turns and walks a couple steps towards the door before looking back and staring Alphonse straight in the eye. As you have witnessed before, my friend is always the highest bidder. Your pockets have suddenly grown tight. You WILL come looking for me for answers someday and at that time it may or may not be too late.
Faelyn smirks and walks out of the room. He casts vanish in the safety of the hallway and heads out of the Grotto.
Ignorant slob. He is getting in way over his head.
Faelyn memorized the faces and ponders if he has heard anything about the odd couple with Alphonse before.
Faelyn heads to the safe house.
Faelyn as you ponder the faces you think the dwarf looks familiar from the Grotto, you are somewhat confident he is some sort of spellcaster or warrior, although his dirty nails are out of place.
As far as the female is concerned she looked like dominatrix to your eye, undoubtedly she would be wicked roll on the sheets. There was a fiendish or dark side to her. She is unlike anyone you have encountered, except maybe Shadow.
As you dodge and weave yourself to the safehouse, you see Truk and Lucrezia a good three blocks away in distance. You get into the house and find it exceptionally loud this morning...too loud.
"Let's drop off the non-bladed weaponry at Quint's, get our armor cleaned and buy some clothes then. Perhaps pick up some casks of something or other alcoholic for later. I'm sure the safehouse will run dry soon at the current pace being set."
Faelyn ducks in and heads to a corner of the room to sit. He is deep in thought over the encounter with Alphonse.
Not noticing in the least that Truk was apparently done with the conversation, Grimm picks up right where his father left off.
Yep, that Areal may be a frail, perfume wearing elf but he knows his way around a sword a bit. Hired me fer an extra hand on a job t'guard some Bellflower halflings he was helping escort out o the city. Got surrounded by some ghouls an a freaking wizard WIGHT was working fer the noble house we was taking the halflings from. Funniest thing, Areal here starts channelling all over the place an the ghouls all fall over themselves trying ta flee, while the stupid WIGHT was trying ta use magic ta make me kill myself. You shoulda seen his face when I walked up to him, pretty resistant to that sh!t ya know, then Areal chops his head off while the wight Is looking at me. Bwahhaha!
He notices Truk leaving....
Hey who's most likely to get into a fight today? I'm going with them.
Any chance o ye giving me that fine sword Da?Swap ye.
Quint's arms has no trouble buying the gear from you. They can clean your armor for 2 gp each or you can take it Gruum's and Ermolos can clean it for the same price. Quints has general adventuring gear and some minor magic equipment.
Talbard is the wizard Truk wants to see he has wonderous items, scrolls, wands, etc...
Faelyn when you enter the kitchen, its like nothing you've seen before, there is a half shaven dwarf there telling stories while Gruum is belly chuckling and most of the brotherhood is in tears with laughter. Even the stoic Areal has a smile.
Truk glances at the dwarf.
"I don't know about getting into a fight but you're welcome to tag along", the big orc says with a shrug.
***
Truk forks over the gold to have his armor cleaned up. He also picks up a new hide kilt and a few new tunics.
***
Truk knocks loudly as he enters the wizard's shop.
"Hullo..."
Orsin will get the remainder of his 8 hours before joining the others at the kitchen table. He tells Gruum can afford to commission the armor in mithral now if they're capable of making it for him.
Before he introducing himself to the blacksmith's son, however, he'll check in with Ailyn about his lesser field commission. "The prose isn't quite the way, I'd like it, but I think it will meet with your approval," he says, handing the sheets to his superior. "If you need me to, I can transcribe a final draft into a journal, but there was something I've been meaning to ask you about this..."
He leans in closer, saying, "I tried to be as objective and inclusive as possible, but..."" Orsin grapples with the best way to phrase his inquiry. "Should my report reach ears in Westcrown, the Hellknights will discover that he broke into the Asmodean Knot at the Folly, and that could mean trouble. Should I censor our names to protect our identities and operations? I refuse to let anything happen to the Brotherhood because I was foolish enough to write too freely..."
"That is fine observation and concern, perhaps a code using initials and you can create a cipher song." She sits with the parchment and begins to read enthralled with the deeds and descriptions, several audible gasps can be heard.
Andrea will look around for Fiosa to see if she came to the safehouse.
Sugarlips, I need a little help here. Andrea produces some shears and displays her tar-laden hair. If you can cut most of it off, I can go over to the saloon to finish up and get a wig.
After the shearing, Andrea will examine her head and sigh. Thanks, I'll see you for lunch hopefully, I have a full day ahead of me.
Andrea will head out to the Exchange House to get a morning leave of absence. Unfortunatly, I am not very presentable to our clients. Andrea shows her head. I plan on heading to the salon for a trim and wig, which should let me get back in the afternoon.
Andrea will then briefly stop at the morgue in order to cast another Gentle Repose on Sunny's body after a few words with Nathaniel and then stop at Grumm's to drop her armor off for cleaning
After running to and fro, Andrea will then head to the salon for her touch-up.
"That is fine observation and concern, perhaps a code using initials and you can create a cipher song." She sits with the parchment and begins to read enthralled with the deeds and descriptions, several audible gasps can be heard.
Orsin nods thoughtfully at the suggestion. "Perhaps, but even that seems risky. Would pseudonyms suffice?" He waits patiently for her reply, satisfied to see her obvious pleasure in reading the tale.
"Sure ...sure pseudonymns at least till this is finished that would be wise." Her eyes staring at the description of the Bearded Devil Szasmir's History provided in the KNOT, "did Duncan really hold his temper when he was struck by the bearded devil. Fascinating the negotiation that you all did...spectacular."
"Holy Asomodeaus child...W..W..w..wha...what did you do with your hair, Your skin...its a wretched mess...Janice...Wanda...Heliga...Fran...I need you all its an emergency!" Lady Pennington directs, "I'm sure you have story to tell!" She rushes over to Andrea to escort her to some treatment chambers.
Lucrezia also drops off her armor to be cleaned at Grumm's. She then decides to not tell the men with her exactly where they are going next until they are standing in the doorway to Lady Pennington's salon.
"You both could stand a touch-up yourselves and I really need a professional to help get the tar remnants outa my hair.:
***
Truk stares in bewilderment.
How did we get here?
He briefly studies the business.
A place that women visit to make themselves more beautiful? Surely this was a hidden temple of the Eternal Rose. How does it evade the Hellknights' notice?
"What did you have in mind?" the hulking orc asks in confusion.
Grimm as the morning wears done most of the Brotherhood scatter to their day jobs. Gruum takes his leave, mumbling about tar riddled armor that needs scrubbing and giving Lucrezia a kick in her pretty arse for doing that to his craftmanship.
Leaving orsin, Faelyn, Janiven, Areal and Ailyn with Grimm to plan out the group's next move - the Wave Door.
Andrea finds herself flanked by women wielding scissors, combs, curlers. Little containers filled with creams and powders, and bottles with shampoos from distant lands are opened up and mixed together by a wrinkled woman who might be a teacher of Talbard. She sees one woman spinning a blade better than any soldier as she slices fruit and vegetables that will be placed over her eyes...
Yes Ma'am, I will entrust myself to your skilled hands. Andrea squeaks as she is rushed off to be trimmed,dyed,pasted,powdered and several other words containing 'ed'.
Why I had the most unfortunate run-in with a thuggish band of women who thought it would be great fun to dump tar all over myself and my companions. Fortunatly, one of my brave friends was able to protect us from serious burns but our hair and skin, not mentain our clothing was simply ruined! Those thugs certainly rued the day they decided to target us and won't be bothering the decent people of westcrown anymore I asure you.
Grimm as the morning wears done most of the Brotherhood scatter to their day jobs. Gruum takes his leave, mumbling about tar riddled armor that needs scrubbing and giving Lucrezia a kick in her pretty arse for doing that to his craftmanship.
Leaving orsin, Faelyn, Janiven, Areal and Ailyn with Grimm to plan out the group's next move - the Wave Door.
Grimm was keen to follow the pretty half elf warrior and the orc. They looked like a fun time. But one thing he did take seriously was battle and he was badly behind in terms of what this group was facing. One dwarf had already died for this cause. He meant to see it through.
Nice lot ye got here Areal. Though ye be badly down on real warriors now Duncan has fallen. I''ll do me best to fill the breach.
So first things first, bring me up to speed on who we're killing and when we are ready, where can a dwarf get a massage and a happy ending, been on the road too long and don't mind paying if the girl has talent. Bwaha!
Orsin needs to make a trip to the stationer's so that he can rewrite the field commission in a journal using pseudonyms and omitting a few of the more damning details. He recommends to those present that they should wait for the others before discussion of the Wave Door begins in full.
"I need to grab a journal and some fresh ink. Anybody care to accompany me?" he asks those present.
Yer a big one fer a fop. Though Da says ye aren't bad with a blade.
Wait a bit so's Areal can give me a rundown and I''ll come wit ye if ye need an escort. Don't spouse a nice lookin lad like you would know a nice bar where there be grog an women of ill reputation? Dwarf's gotta have some fun in this bleak excuse for a city.
Orsin's gaze narrows at the mention of the word 'fop'. He turns slowly and leans up against the threshold instead of exiting through it. He studies Grimm for a moment. He sighs, resigned to play nice with Duncan's so-called "replacement".
How could Areal be so insensitive as to bring in someone new the following day? He must be getting desperate. Perhaps he knows something he's not telling us. Should be concerned? Still, it's not this one's fault that he's not the dwarf we're used to seeing here.
Orsin resigns a sigh. "The brothel that we'd been frequenting for many months now has recently come under Hellknight surveillance. Not to mention that the 'merchandise' on offer seems to be growing younger by the day. If you've come looking for fun, exploring the trapped ruins of condemned Pathfinder lodge will have to suffice."
Time passes, perhaps just a couple of hours for Andrea, but for a man....an eternity languishing in Limbo before the primped, trimmed, polished and be-wigged version of herself steps out from the Salon with the stylists nodding in satisfaction at their work.
You are indeed a wonder, Lady Elmira. Thank you ever so much for your help. Andrea gratefully pays the fee and promises a glowing report when she mingles with the nobles again.
Andrea will then head back to have lunch with Fiosa and then to The Exchange to finish her day before buying some scribing supplies at Talbard's and heading back to the Safehouse to plan their trip to the Wavedoor.
Faelyn watches the carnival in the safe house not really understanding what is happening. He grabs his backpack and heads to Talbard's. I need to pick up one of those rods like Truk had at the Devildrome.
Even though she might not have time to visit Talbard's during her busy day, Andrea does write a letter that can be delivered to him perhaps by Faelyn or another member of the CoW.
Talbard,
I have been discussing with Areal the possibility of organizing a group dubbed 'The Lantern Bearers' that will have members from the CoW and other trusted people that will serve as escorts in order to help people get home when night falls and will ask that a few items be secured to equip them.
The first thing I will say about this idea is that they will not be organised to fight the Shadowbeasts or engage in any hostilities against the Dottari or Hellknights. They are escorts and will defend themselves if needed but we plan on them sticking to the well-lighted areas,(at least until more of the famed torches can be lit.)
Shadowbeasts, however, will not respect such civil-mindness and so I wish to start buying oils that enchant weapons since there are undead in the alleys. I will also be casting a Continual Light miracle on the rods that will give the group it's name as well as providing holy water, enchanted by myself or Areal/Alistar. Healing kits and sashes as a badge of station. Please contact me later so we can discuss details.
Andrea.
Orsin needs to make a trip to the stationer's so that he can rewrite the field commission in a journal using pseudonyms and omitting a few of the more damning details. He recommends to those present that they should wait for the others before discussion of the Wave Door begins in full.
"I need to grab a journal and some fresh ink. Anybody care to accompany me?" he asks those present.
He had said yes but that it was going to take him some time. Figure at the end of Delvehaven.
Talbard will enchant Truk's armor he tells you, "Leave the armor, come back at the 4th bell it should be ready by then."
When Faelyn arrives at Talbard's, Truk is discussing matters with the wizard.
You don't find what you are looking for in his shop today. You know he has items that come and go daily and he can usually obtain specific goods with a little notice.
Talbard nods when he reads Andrea's note.
Those looking for journals, parchment, ink and quills have not problem finding them at Talbards or a stationary store.
Come the new morning Shadow rises, washes and dresses...
Fluer enters the common room and sits quietly out of the way. Watching the people talk, carouse and interact with one another.
Talbard will enchant Truk's armor he tells you, "Leave the armor, come back at the 4th bell it should be ready by then."
"Thanks. I'll make sure the dwarf has it delivered when it's ready."
If you could order me the rod, that would be great master. How about increasing the resistance enchant on my cloak?
"I was wondering about getting my own armor enchanted as well. If a second one would be too much for you today, I could likely bring it by tomorrow instead."
Andrea will eventually end up back at the safehouse after her long work day and settle in to discuss the Wavedoor.
From what it sounds like, we will need a boat, which will be simple enough to aquire. We might also need some way of working or fighting underwater unless it is above the waterline. I can pray for a miracle that can help those who are poor at swimminglike me breath and swim well.
That ain't a bad idea Andrew. I ain't to bad of a swimmer, so far as dwarves go but being in a small boat wit a lotta folk and wearing armor worth a damn is gonna be a problem. Ye be a cleric o Calistria right? Well a Blessing or two of Water Breating or Aboleth's Lung would help a long ways. I'm up fer it if ye wanna sample some dwarf by the way. Just thought I'd mention it for future reference. I be a broad downstairs as up and It's all about girth ye know...
For some reason, Grimm feels something like two eyes burning a hole in his back, but when he looks around he just notices a pretty halfling lass doing some chores.
Couldn't be her, halflings are so harmless..
Aboleth's Lung? I have never heard of that miracle? I can pray for miracles such as Water Breathing,Water Walk, and Ride the Waves the last however is a very advanced miracle for one person.
As for the armor problem, we can keep the heavy armor off while traveling to the Wavedoor and then put it back on when we find out how hard it will be to get to it.